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NFIA Reports Record Amount of Foreign Investment in the Netherlands for 2014

"Investors are rightly seeing many opportunities to invest in the Netherlands”.

9 March 2015

The Hague, 9 March 2015 – Foreign investors invested a record amount of money, 3.2 billion Euros, in the Dutch economy last year. In total, 187 new investment projects were achieved including headquarters, manufacturing facilities, and data centers. These investments will lead to 6,304 extra jobs, according to the annual results of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) which were published today. "Investors are rightly seeing many opportunities to invest in the Netherlands,” commented Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp. “Our well-educated labor force, world class digital infrastructure, and the recovering economy work like a magnet for investors. The rest of the world is not standing still, however. It is important to continue to aim high in order to ensure our country remains attractive for new business."

Minister Kamp and Minister Lilianne Ploumen for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation are jointly responsible for the assignment carried out by the NFIA.
“Trade and investment provide jobs in the Netherlands. That is evident again from these results,” said Minister Lilianne Ploumen. “Dutch embassies all over the world are therefore supporting the effort to attract international companies to the Netherlands. We want to convince more international startups that the Netherlands is the right place to innovate. Because that is where we still have a lot to win.”

Google, Expedia, Netflix

Through targeted acquisition, the NFIA attracted some very well-known companies. For example, US booking site Expedia expanded its service center in Amsterdam, adding 120 extra jobs. Netflix also located its new European headquarters in our country. Furthermore, Google decided to build a 600-million-Euro data center in Eemshaven, in the northern province of Groningen. And the Canadian company Northland Power is investing more than 1.6 billion Euros in Gemini, the offshore wind park 85 kilometers north of the Groningen coast. In Bergen op Zoom, American fashion giant American Eagle is establishing a large distribution center with employment for some 100 people. Additionally, the Spanish company Europastry is establishing a bakery in the city of Oldenzaal , creating 75 jobs.

The Netherlands in demand worldwide

The United States (US) remains the country where most investments come from. American investors fueled growth with 65 projects and more than 2,300 jobs. China follows in second place with 28 projects and more than 500 jobs. Japan is in third place with 16 projects and 220 jobs. South Korean investors attracted attention with 15 projects and 165 jobs. India had a substantial share as well, with 10 new projects leading to 225 jobs. In 2013, the foreign investment amount recorded by the NFIA was 1.7 billion Euros. Still that year was a bumper year for employment caused by a number of large projects: as many as 8,500. In 2012, foreign investment projects supplied just over 5,000 jobs.

‘Invest in Holland’

As part of a 5-year plan for the years from 2015 to 2020, the NFIA and its regional partners will jointly increase their focus on acquisition of foreign investment in Holland’s key sectors of Chemicals, Agrifood, High Tech Systems, Life Sciences & Health, and IT, under the name ‘Invest in Holland’. In addition to the continued attention for large investors from the US and Japan, the NFIA will aim to capitalize on the carefully established contacts in China and India. Moreover, the NFIA together with Dutch Embassies and Consulates will also start working with StartupDelta, the initiative launched by the ministry of Economic Affairs and headed by former EU Vice President Neelie Kroes. They will concentrate mainly on promising markets in this respect like the US, the UK and Israel.

About the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA)

The NFIA is an operational unit of the ministries of Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs. The NFIA helps and advises foreign companies on the establishment, rolling out and/or expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands. The NFIA was established more than 35 years ago, and has since then supported more than 3,400 companies from nearly 60 countries in the establishment or expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands. Besides its headquarters in The Hague, the NFIA has its own offices in the United Kingdom, Turkey, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Brazil. Additionally, the NFIA works together with Dutch embassies, consulates-general, and other organizations representing the Dutch government abroad, as well as with a broad network of domestic partners.